Advertising device.



No. 668,686. Ptented Feb. 26,*I90l.

l .I. F.. MARSHALL.

ADVERTISING IJEvIcE.

(Appumion and ocx. 2e, 1900. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet V2,

Y Patented Feb. 26, I90l..

J. F. MARSHALL.

'ADVERTISING'DEVICE Y (Application mea ocr. 2e, 1900.1

' (No Mom.)

QQ 'Lx Sheets-Sheet mum ENOS.

Patented Feb. 26, 190|.

. Sheets-*Sheet 4,

J. vF. MARSHALL. lADVERTISING DEVICE.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1900.) (No Model.)

Tm: dams PETER: c

UNTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JHN FREDK. MARSHALL, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,686, dated February26, 1901.

Application filed October 26, 1900. Serial No. 34,448. (No model.)

To all whom t mag/concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN FEEDK. MAR- SHALL, a subject of the Queen ofEngland, residing at Westminster, county of MiddleseX, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating toAdvertising Devices and the Like, (for which I have made application forLetters Patent in Great Britain under No. 1,208, dated January 19,1900,) of which the following is aspect fica-tion.

This invention relates to improvements in advertising devices and thelike, and has for its object to so arrange a series of movable bodiescarrying suitable symbols that the bodies may be intermittently moved soas to effect transposition of the symbols.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is an elevation of an advertisingdevice constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection, on an enlarged scale, through one of the oscillating frames.Figs. 4to 8 are views illustrative of the transposition of the symbolswhen the frames are oscillated. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a modifiedform of the apparatus. Fig. 10 is an elevation of apart of the same onan enlarged scale; and Fig. 11 is a vertical section through the frame,also on an enlarged scale.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The requisite symbols are attached to or painted upon disks A, eachmounted upon the face of a toothed Wheel A'. These disks are arranged insuitable numbers in oscillating framesB B. Each disk may be separate, orseveral of them may be coupled together by a link A2, the arrangementbeing such that when the frames are oscillated the disks will travel inthe desired direction and assume such positions as Will effect thenecessary transposition of the symbols. In the construction shown inFigs. 1 to 8 two oscillating frames B B' are employed, arranged onebehind the other, and the mechanism to be hereinafter described foreecting the oscilf lation of these frames is such that the frames willbe tilted in opposite directions and then returned to a horizontalposition one behind the other, so that the symbols carried by one frameand those carried by the other will be read together. After the frameshave remained in the horizontal position for a suitable period they arebot-h tilted, as before, in

directions opposite to each other, but contrary to the directions inwhich they were previously tilted, so that the bodies carrying thesymbols will roll in the frames and assume fresh positions, such thatwhen the frames are again brought one behind the other into thehorizontal position the fresh arrangement of the symbols when the latterare all read together will make a new sentence, word, or phrase.

` Each toothed wheel A', carrying a disk A, engages with a chain or rackB2, arranged longitudinall)` in the frame B. The diameter of each disk Ais such that it will rest upon and roll along a portion of the frame B,as at B3, or on a guide-rail beside the chain B2. A groove B4 in theupper part of the frame B guides the upper edge of the disks A. It willthus be seen that the bodies are free to roll in one direction oranother, according to the manner in which the frame is tilted, the racksregulating the movement and preventing slip, while the fact that thedisks roll on their edges reduces friction in the racks and allows of aneasy movement.

The distance that each disk travels when the frames are oscillated islimited by suitable stops. The nature of these stops varies in differentcircumstances. Thus in the case of groups of coupled disks each stopcomprises a block C, situated in the path of a nger or arm A3,projecting downwardly from the link A2. Where a disk is separate andmoves alone, a vertical bar C', carried by the frame, is so arrangedthat at the desired point an axial projection A4, carried by the toothedwheel A', will come in contact with the bar C and arrest the progress ofthe disk A. The arrangement of the symbols is preferably such that Wherea vertical bar C' has to be used as a stop this bar will not lie infront of any symbol which is intended to be visible.

In the construction shown a third row of symbols is`provided, thesebeing painted or mounted upon the back B5 of the hindermost frame. ItWillbe noted that these symbols do not change their position, but areemployed to simplify themovements of the other IOO symbols andfacilitate the making up of the requisite words or phrases forming theparticular advertisement.

It is obvious that the number and combination of the disks may varyconsiderably; but as an example of how the transposition may be effectedthe frames are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 in the diierent positionswhich they assume, numbers being used to represent the differentsymbols. In Fig. 4 the frames B B are shown tilted. Fig. 5 illustratesthe arrangement of the symbols when the frames have returned to thehorizontal positions. In 1Fig. 6 the frames are shown tilted intopositions contrary to those shown in Fig. 4, while Fig. 7 shows thearrangenlent of the symbols when the frames have returned to theirhorizontal positions after the second oscillation. Fig. Sis an elevationof the back frame B with the movable bodies removed, so that the symbolsfixed on the back of the frame may be clearly seen.

The fixed letters are indicated by the numbers 1 to 9, inclusive, and inthe example shown are placed in the positions indicated in Fig. S.Between these numbers are blank spaces 10, which are iixed similarly tothe numbers. The frame B also carries movable symbols 11 to 17,inclusive. Of these 11 is mounted upon a separate body, which rolls upand down by itself when the frame Bis oscillated. The disks carrying thenumbers l2 and 13 are coupled together by a link A2, and the disks withthe numbers 14, 15, 16, and 17 are similarly coupled by a link. Thisframe also carries two blank disks 18, coupled together by a link. Themovement of the group of numbers 12, 13 is limited in the one directionby astop C2, against which the .finger A3 comes in contact. The movementof this group in the opposite direction is checked by the stop C3,against which the finger A3 is shown in contact in Fig. 6. The stop C15serves to check the movement of the group of numbers 14, 15, 16, and 17toward the center when the frame AB is in the position shown in Fig. 4,the movement of this group in the opposite direction being limited bythe stop C4. The stop G5 holds the coupled blanks 1S when the frame B istilted into the position shown in Fig. 4, the movement of these blankswhen the frame is tilted in the opposite direction being checked by theend of the frame. The single disk carrying the number 11 is checked whenthe frame B is in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the end of the frame.When the tilt is in the opposite direction, however, this disk movesinto the position shown in Fig. 6, being there held either by anextension of the stop C or by a bar C, against which the axialprojection Atl comes in contact in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Itis tobe noted that in the arrangement shown the bar C is not visible from thefront, as when the symbols assume the position shown in Fig. 4 thestop-bar C/ will be hidden by the disk carrying the number 12, while inthe other position the disk carrying the number 11, which is held bythis bar, itself conceals the stop.

In the front frame B are two groups of disks, one a group of threecarrying the numbers 19, 20, 21 all coupled together, the other a groupof two carrying the numbers 22 and 23. The position of the group ofnumbers 19, 20, and 21 is checked in one direction by a stop CG and inthe other by a stop C7. The stop C6 also serves to check the movementofthe group 2 and 23 in one direction, a stop CS limiting its movementin the other direction.

If the views Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 be now considered, it will be seenthat when the frames B B are tilted into the positions shown in Fig. 4the numbers assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5, so that theyread 11, 1, 2, followed by a blank space, then 12, 13, 4 and a blankspace, then 14, 15, 16, 17 and a blank space, and, Finally, 19, 20, 21,22, 23, 8, and 5). In this position it will be noticed that the fixednumbers 3, 5, 6, and 7 are hidden, as also the movable blanks 18. Whenthe frames are tilted into the positions shown in Fig. 6, the numbersare transposed, so that when the frame return to the horizontal positionthe numbers appear in the order shown inFig.7-namely,ablankspace,andthen 19, 20, 21, 1l, 3, 12, 13, followed bytwo blank spaces, then 5, 6, 14, 15, 22, 23, 7, followed by three blankspaces, two of which are the movable ones 18. In this arrangement itwill be seen that the tixed numbers` 1, 2, 4, 8, and l are hidden. Ofthe movable disks those carrying the numbers 16 and 17 are hidden by thedisk carrying the numbers 22 and 23, movingin the front frame B'.

To impart to the frames the necessary movements, each is mounted on apivot and provided with an arm carrying a roller, which rests againstthe periphery of a rotating cam. The rear frame B is pivoted at D andhas a downwardly extending arm E, carrying a roller F, which bearsagainst the periphery of a suitably-shaped cam G, mounted on the shaftH. The front frame B is pivoted at D and has an arm E', carrying aroller F', which bears against the periphery of the cam G', mounted onthe shaft H. The latter carries achain-wheel J, which is driven by achain J from a pinion .I2 on a counter-sllal't K. The latter carries aworm wheel K', which is driven by a worm L upon a shaft L, driven by anelectric or other 1notorL2. A casing M incloses the driving andoscillating mechanism.

In Fig. 1 the different extreme positions of the cams G G' and frames BB' are shown in dotted lines, the mid and horizontal positions of theframes being shown in full lines, as also are the correspondingpositions of the cams G G.

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,center of a wheel A5.

The chain B2 in each frame with which the toothed wheels A engage isclearly shown in Fig. l, and the engagement of one of these toothedwheels` is illustrated in the same ligure, where part of the disk on theface ot this wheel is broken away. Itis obvious that this chain may bereplaced by a rack of snitable type.

'In the modified construction shown in Fig 9 a single frame B carries aseries of tracks B5, upon which roll the bodies A5. Each rotating bodyA5 is guided above by a longitudinal rod B7. The disks or plates A5,which carry the symbols, do not rotate in this case; but each plate ispivotally mounted on the Each plate is bent at its lower edge andweighted, as at A7, so as to always maintain it in a vertical position,the bending of the plate being such as to bring the center of gravity ofeach rolling body low down and as near as possible in the center line.In this arrangement the plates A7, carrying the symbols, mayconveniently be square, so that when the symbols are arranged they willform to the eye when viewed in front a practically unbroken surface. Inthe arrangement shown each movable body is separate and when the frameis tilted assumes'a new position on its own track quite independent ofthe other bodies on the other tracks. The

, movement of each body is limited by suitable stops C, which may be inthe form of small pins or projections on the tracks B6 and on theguide-rods B7. The projections must in each case be such as will notobstruct the View of any symbols which may be situated behind them whenthe bodies assume different positions. The mechanism for oscillating theframe B may be similar to that employed for moving the frame in theprevious construction, the frame B being pivoted at D and provided witha downwardly-extending arm E, carrying a roller F, which bears againstthe periphery of the cam G, mounted on the shai't H. The latter hasmounted upon it a toothed wheel J, connected by a chain J to a pinion J2on a counter-shaft K, driven by a motor-operating worm-gear, aspreviously described.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. l it is to be noted that eachframe is pivoted at a point somewhat t-o one side of its center, thedownwardly extending arm carrying the roller which bears against theface of the cam being situated on the other side of the center of theframe from the side on whichis situated the pivot. With this arrangementone side of the frame is heavier than the other, and the roller is thusalways maintained in contact with the periphery of the cam.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9 the frame B is pivoted aboutitscenter, the roller F on the arm E being maintained in contact with theperiphery of the cam G by the tension of a spring N, which is attachedto the framing M and to the lower end of a downwardly-extending arm O.It is obvious that in place of the spring weights may be used, or theframe in this case may be pivot-ed otherwise than about its center, asin the other construction. Another arrangement would be to provide theframe B with two arms, such as E, each carrying a roller F in contactwith the periphery of the cam G, the movement being then a positive onein either direction.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9 it will be seen that the word orphrase formed by the arrangement of the symbols in one position or theother appears at one end or the other of the frame B, according to thedirection in which the latter has been tilted. If the back of the framehas symbols painted on it, these symbols will appear or be obliterated,according to the position of the moving bodies, so that a word or phrasewhich will read right across the frame will always appear.

It will be seen that in the construction shown in Fig. 9 in place ofeach moving body being separate from the others the bodies, andconsequently the symbols,may be coupled together, as in the constructionshown in Fig. l. By thus coupling the symbols two or more of the lattermay be arranged on the same'track, and consequently the number of tracksmay be reduced.

I wish it to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exactmanner of supporting the symbols from the movable bodies, such symbolsbeing adapted to be supported directly by the movable bodies either bypainting or'otherwise attaching such symbols, as seen in and describedwith reference to Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, or to beindirectlysupportedfromthe movable bodies by providing plates carried by the said bodies,which plates have the symbols painted or otherwise attached, as seen inand described with reference to Figs. 9, l0, and 1l, and in the claims Ihave denoted the movable bodies as carrying the symbols, and therefore Iintend such term to cover broadly either manner of supporting thesymbols as just set forth hereinabove.

The advertising apparatus above described may be illuminated in variousways either by casting a light upon the face of the symbols or byilluminating each separate symbol from the back, the disks or plateswhich carry the symbols being made transparent.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of movablebodies carrying symbols, a series of fixed symbols, a support for themovable bodies and the fixed symbols, a second series of movable bodiescarrying symbols, a support for this second series of movable bodies,mechanism for imparting movement to the supports and stops for limitingthe movement of the bodies, substantially as set forth.

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2. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, a support for the rolling bodies, mechanism forimparting movement to the support and stops for limiting the movement ofthe bodies, substantially as set forth.

3. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, a series of fixed symbols, a support for therolling bodies and the fixed symbols, mechanism for imparting movementto the support and stops for limiting the movement of the bodies,substantially as set forth.

4. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, an oscillating support for the rolling bodies,mechanism for intermittently oscillating the support and stops forlimiting the movement of the bodies, substantially as set forth.

5. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, an oscillating support for the bodies,mechanism for intermittently oscillating the support and stops forlimiting the movement of the bodies on the support, substantially as setforth.

6. In an advertising apparatus the combi'- nation of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, an oscillating support for the bodies, gearconnection between the bodies and the support, mechanism forintermittently oscillating the support and stops for limiting themovement of the bodies on the support, substantially as set forth.

7. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, a series of fixed symbols, a support for therolling bodies and the fixed symbols, a second series of rolling bodies,a support for the second series of rolling bodies, gear connectionbetween the bodies and their supports, mechanism for intermittentlyoscillating the supports and stops for limiting the movement of thebodies on their respective supports, substantially as set forth.

8. In an advertising apparatus the combination of a series of rollingbodies carrying symbols, a series of fixed symbols, an oscillatingsupport for the rollingr bodies and the J iixed symbols, a second seriesof rolling bodies, an oscillating support for the second series ofbodies, a cam for imparting oscillatory movement to each support, .ashaft upon which these cams are mounted, mechanism for rotating thisshaft and stops for limiting the movement of the bodies on theirrespective supports, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN FREDig. MARSHALL.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH LAKE, T. J. OsMAN.

